Allardyce: Rooney and Sigurdsson can't play together

Monday, 22 January, 2018 125comments  |  Jump to most recent
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Sam Allardyce says that his two nominal No.10s, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Wayne Rooney, can't operate in the same team because neither has the pace nor the legs to cover enough ground.

The manager was speaking in the aftermath of Saturday's 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion in which Oumar Niasse stepped off the bench to earn a largely undeserved point.

Sigurdsson started the match, moving inside to his favoured central role while Rooney watched the first hour from the bench but Everton laboured to create anything until the veteran joined the Icelander on the pitch following James McCarthy's injury.

Rooney helped set up the equaliser with a cross to debutant Theo Walcott whose header was converted by Niasse but Allardyce says that it is unlikely both he and Sigurdsson will start in the same XI.

“Last week I said we have not got a lot of legs in the team and we need to be quicker,” Allardyce said. “We've increased that with Theo and Yannick [Bolasie] when he gets back to full fitness but in midfield you have to be able to cover the ground.

"I think Rooney and Gylfi playing together are very shrewd, very clever and talented players but in actual terms of covering the ground it is difficult — it's not their strength.

“So I have to make a big decision on who plays this one and who plays for next one. For me, Gylfi has been trudging away outside on the left side, so play him in the position he wants to play and see what he can do.

“As a team we are light in legs, in pace. And that is something I have to cope with until the end of this season and we look at the whole squad and say: ‘What do we do to make it better?'”

Ironically, while he lacks the speed that his new manager is after, Sigurdsson was feted as having covered more ground by March of the 2016-17 season while playing for Swansea City than any other player in the Premier League.

He was eventually prised away from the Swans by Everton for a reported £45m last August, one of three players who prefer the same role that were acquired over the summer, but has battled to live up to his enormous price tag in a struggling Blues team.

Meanwhile, Allardyce has also admitted his concern at Everton's proximity to the bottom three and that his side could get dragged back into a relegation dogfight.

“Especially after performing like that and last week's second-half performance," he said on Saturday.

“I've seen a huge drain in the confidence in the players in the space of one-and-a-half football matches because we didn't do too bad in the first-half against Tottenham.

"The quality of the Tottenham side I can kind of accept but West Brom are in the bottom three and if anybody should've been suffering from nerves it should've been them more than us, but I don't think that was the case today.

“We've gone from top six to bottom four in points in two packs of six games. In the first six we' ve gone right up there and the next six we've got points that equate to relegation so we could get sucked in."

 

Reader Comments (125)

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Jackie Barry
1 Posted 22/01/2018 at 01:13:29
If you put Rooney deep behind Sigurdsson, with Gueye in front of the defence, and play two out and out wingers, I'm sure they would be fine. Stop playing Schneiderlin – that's where a big part of the problem lies.
Sean McCarthy
2 Posted 22/01/2018 at 01:15:53
Surely it's the manager's job to find the system to ensure his better players are on the pitch as much as possible? We all know Rooney isn't the player he was a few years ago but he's still better than the vast majority of our squad!! Who else even tries a forward pass?? Plus he's also our top scorer!!

I think we all know that with Sigurdsson there's a player in there somewhere. Maybe #10 is where he should be in which case give Rooney the role he had against West Ham. But we know Sam won't do that as he wants cloggers in the middle of the park – that can be the only explanation for Schneiderlin playing week in week out!!

Watching Everton at the minute brings zero pleasure. A midfield of players who seem unable to go over the halfway line or pass the ball forward certainly isn't going to see the pleasure levels rise anytime soon!!

How did it come to this??
Don Alexander
3 Posted 22/01/2018 at 01:29:11
Maybe Allardyce needs to give Walsh a clue as to where to draw the line re signings, unless it was his boss Kenwright who insisted on signing the ale-can Rooney as our best paid, role-model (as if!) player.

Sigurdsson is a skilful, effective, excellent footballer who can orchestrate a team where all the component parts exist. He's the chief reason Iceland (male 20-30 years population about 20,000) are now an international power in UEFA.

The fact that the component parts existed even at Swansea says all that needs saying about the total bollocks our esteemed (by Moshiri alone) DoF made of the summer window, and the January one to date, unless Moshiri has tied Walsh's hands of course. There's loads of great players who are miles away from the pace department, but if he's given the still missing basics behind and in front of him Sigurdsson, and we, will flourish.

Does it take actual relegation to get Moshiri to extract his head from his arse in realising just who is total crap in his, erm, hierarchy?

Mike Gaynes
4 Posted 22/01/2018 at 01:37:24
Well, it seems Sam has half the message... Wayne and Gylfi can't both play in attack. Applause, applause.

Now if he can only figure out that Wayne can play that deep-lying midfield position if there's a ballwinner next to him (Davies, Gana, or Baningime) and Schneiderlin is on a bus to somewhere. Anywhere.

Andrew Presly
5 Posted 22/01/2018 at 01:41:41
What's with the arm's-length management consultant crap?

There are many many issues with this absolute oaf but can anyone explain why he's speaking like he has nothing to do with the team?

Soren Moyer
6 Posted 22/01/2018 at 01:43:04
In other words, we are fucked!
Bill Watson
7 Posted 22/01/2018 at 01:50:14
At least Allardyce says it as it is – unlike like the previous two managers.

Sigurdsson may cover a lot of ground but he lacks pace and usually loses out in a 50/50 tussle for the ball.

Now all Big Sam needs is to realise that the fulcrum of the midfield problem is Schneiderlin who lacks desire, pace, can't find a blue shirt with a pass, and constantly puts the defence in trouble.

Alex Rowe
8 Posted 22/01/2018 at 02:19:35
This is complete nonsense from our manager, and that still sticks in my throat to call him our manager as I can't stand the man or his football philosophies.

When Rooney has played further back in midfield, he has had far more impact on the game and that is where he should be playing, preferably in a midfield three. It gives us the control and vision we are sorely lacking in midfield. I would have said a midfield three of Gueye holding, Rooney and McCarthy but his horrible injury has robbed us and the player of that opportunity unfortunately.

With Rooney further back there is no reason we can't play Sigurdsson further up in the same team. To really make it tick we need to invest in an attacking left back to overlap Sigurdsson, much like Baines and Pienaar of old.

Paul McGinty
9 Posted 22/01/2018 at 02:21:37
The managers comments fall into line with what we have been seeing all season. Add Klaassen to the list of number 10s without quickness. So why spend 25 million plus on the new guy from Turkey when he looks to be similarly one-paced?

He looks to be a guy that does his best work in and around the penalty box. In team that has little controlled possession I cannot see him as being as effective as what we have now.

It's amazing how we cannot establish a winning pattern of play with a giant squad of players. It surprises me that Walsh has kept the owner's trust. Our signings in the last two windows have been a disaster given the spend and wage commitment involved.
David Currie
10 Posted 22/01/2018 at 03:26:45
What he should be saying is Schneiderlin cannot ever play for us again. Lazy, no desire, negative passer of the ball. I can't stand him and how many chances does this guy get compared to others like Davies, Baningime and Klaassen? He has no heart for the game.
Ron Marr
11 Posted 22/01/2018 at 04:08:48
No shit Batman. They both run like they have a piano strapped to their backs. Only one of them should play. Schneiderlin (French for ‘Sideways') should not play, period.
Jay Harris
12 Posted 22/01/2018 at 04:24:27
It is refreshing to hear some honesty and something which the supporters wholeheartedly agree with.

Whoever signed Rooney (and I think we all know who was behind it) should be asked to pay Rooney's wages for the remainder of his contract.

Rooney gets 1 pass in 10 right and invariably and inexplicably gives it to the opposition. When we talk about our players being unable to make a 5-yard pass, he is the main culprit probably because his head is still in the bar from the night before.

I also agree with sentiments regarding Schneiderlin, another Man Utd reject. They must love us.

As far as Steve Walsh goes, we are all wondering why he wasn't sacked before Koeman. He must have something on someone because he is the worst example of a Director of Football I have seen.

We haven't got a single box-to-box midfield player on the books .

Bob Parrington
13 Posted 22/01/2018 at 04:36:19
Paul (#9). I think Tosun will work out. He's not as slow as Rooney and Sigurdsson and looks like he wants to put in the effort.
David Barks
14 Posted 22/01/2018 at 05:12:40
Jay,

I agree with you about Walsh and Rooney. But we do have box-to-box midfielders. Klaassen and Davies are both more in that realm. But Sam must have his six man defensive line, so a combination of Schneiderlin, Gana and McCarthy has been his first priority. Now that there is no McCarthy, Gana will be back in there.

It's the idiot version of the 4-2-3-1. Whereas Man Utd play with Matic and Pogba as that 2, with the idea being that Matic is the holder and Pogba gets forward, we just put two players out there that offer nothing but supposed defense. Of course Schneiderlin doesn't even offer that, yet continues to be selected.

Rooney comes in, drops deep to receive the ball and goes further up field to support attack, sets up a goal. Next thing out of Sam's mouth is he and Schneiderlin can't be in the team together. No, it doesn't need to be Rooney. But it could be Klaassen or Davies or really anybody other than Schneiderlin.

Alexander Murphy
15 Posted 22/01/2018 at 05:23:06
If Big Fat Sam were to dedicate as much time and effort on making improvements instead of publicly slagging off our players and covering his arse then perhaps, just perhaps there might be a glimmer of a plan in place. There isn't.

Remember that Allardyce was sacked by The FA as England manager for shooting his smug mouth off, not for actually doing anything.

So far at Everton he has spent more time running us down than talking us up or at least singling out the players who did anything useful for praise.

If Allardyce's public utterances are in any way shape or form a reflection of what is said behind closed doors then he has already alienated the dressing room. Possibly deliberately so. He appears, to me, to be a "pay-off manager", and a well practised one at that.

He'll take his 30 pieces gleefully for his severance and be on a Caribbean cruise before "The Gushing One" has delivered his eloquent "It is with deep regret" speech from Finch Farm.

We just might scrape enough points to avoid relegation, but be prepared for a "Wimbledon Finish". Fasten your seat-belts because our horror show season is cranking up for the gory climax.

And Jay (#12), "box-to-box"? You just might want to take a look at Tom Davies, although he won't fulfil Allardyce's tick list as he's not over 30, well known from his heyday some years ago, and massively overpaid.

Mike Gaynes
16 Posted 22/01/2018 at 05:52:24
Paul #9... I've seen some dross here, but your post is a beauty.

The guy has played 131 minutes in an Everton shirt and you already have an idea of what "he looks to be"???

Give it a rest.

Davie Turner
17 Posted 22/01/2018 at 05:54:07
Big Sam needs to shut up. Every time he opens his mouth at the moment, I just find it enraging, from "be more boring", "precious point" and today "relegation is a possibility".

The only thing worse are his 'lump it and hope' tactics.

Will Mabon
18 Posted 22/01/2018 at 05:59:45
I agree, Alex.

Seems Allardyce is trying to outdo Koeman's legacy with the public stuff. I never have and never will see the point, not now in the days of supposedly lightweight, pampered personalities, nor in previous muddy-pitch hard man days.

Just get on with coaching and addressing the problems, please. Most fans can see the shortcomings without being told. It's easy to generalize problems for the media without insults, and few neutrals actually care what other managers say anyway. The team however, might not like it in principle.

No more excuse building, just get on with it.

John Pierce
19 Posted 22/01/2018 at 06:01:43
Sam – lowering expectations daily, until the bar is so low we'll all be grateful to him for finishing in the Premier League.

I'll give him this, past master at it.

● Tosun, might not workout?

● Happy to get a "precious point" against a side that's won 1 in 21 games.

● Now we are relegation candidates.

● And our most creative players can't be in the same side.

Duncan McDine
20 Posted 22/01/2018 at 06:50:43
He's 100% right. The fact that they were both bought at the same time, by the same manager, seemed completely mental. Add to that, the fairly unknown Klaassen in the same position - why didn't someone at the top of the club (Walsh, Kenwright, Moshiri... anyone) see that Koeman was throwing money at the wrong targets?

We are a fucking shambles of a club.

David Hallwood
21 Posted 22/01/2018 at 07:20:45
Isn't it amazing these so-called experts, former players or even managers like Allardyce can come out with absolute bollocks and we ordinary proles can see the problem a mile off.

Jackie (#1) is bang on; they can play in a 3 with one holding mid, provided we have width, its this obsession with playing 2 holders that's making the team so imbalanced and so static; as well as the absence of overlapping backs or wingbacks. I'm not saying management is easy, but the problem is there for all to see.

Allardyce is suppose to be the stat man. Well look at the goal record of the 2 holders (regardless who they are in the last 3 years) and it's miserly, then look at the goals conceded in the last 3 seasons, and it's 50+.

Rooney and Sigurdsson have got to play together; look at the goal that came from a Rooney cross, if he hadn't been forced to replace on of the holders with Rooney, do you honestly think one of them would've been that advanced to have made the cross?

I'm putting the mortgage on Schneiderlin & Gana vs Leicester and we'll see more of the same – what did Einstein say about doing the same thing over and over again?

Mark Wynne
22 Posted 22/01/2018 at 07:25:59
David, I guess we have to be glad it's not three holding midfielders.
Jon Withey
23 Posted 22/01/2018 at 07:27:37
It's like taking a banana to a gunfight.

Pretty agitating that we've reverted to playing Schneiderlin every game again, a la Koeman and Unsworth, and we are fragile again – but it's Rooney's and Gylfi's fault?

No, Schneiderlin isn't an effective defensive midfielder and you need a left-back in the left-back position.

Geoff Evans
24 Posted 22/01/2018 at 07:30:58
Laughable!
Peter Jansson
25 Posted 22/01/2018 at 07:36:50
Can we hire Silva or get back to Unsworth please?
Peter Jansson
26 Posted 22/01/2018 at 07:38:58
Big Sam – can you please take Schneiderlin out the team as he is the main problem of our team. He does not do anything right. Stop blaming Sigurdsson and Rooney.
Hari Singh
27 Posted 22/01/2018 at 07:51:15
Peter (#26). Is it time to bring on Klaassen to replace Schneiderlin, since McCarthy is also out for a least a year?

I believe that Klaassen must have more enthusiasm than Schneiderlin, regardless of where he plays.

Todd Watkins
28 Posted 22/01/2018 at 07:58:35
We will go down this year for sure. I watched the game. The only guys with heart were Walcott and Tosun. But how can they show what they have got without the service?

Schneiderlin needs to go play pub footy. Put Baningime in there. At least he fights and his passes find blue shirts.

Mike Kehoe
29 Posted 22/01/2018 at 08:08:42
It seems a basic truth that all successful football teams are built upon the foundation of a solid defence.

As one or two of the more observant TW posters have commented recently, we have no left-back. That we have no cover for that position and are forced to play a very limited third choice right-back is a flaw so obvious that a lobotomised Robbie Fowler may deduce. Until this is remedied the team will simply be weakened and underperform.

If the identified player is not available until Summer, could a pre contract agreement be signed and then a statement be made so the fans are not left pondering whether apparent transfer inactivity is not the case.

By the way, we will not be relegated – it will be a mid-table forgettable season.

Les Martin
30 Posted 22/01/2018 at 08:38:15
It makes you shake your head that this was not realized at the time of purchase; it shows what an absolute disaster our summer spend was,
Rob Dolby
31 Posted 22/01/2018 at 08:48:53
If the team was awash with goals I would understand the Rooney Sigurdsson issue but it isn't.

They are the creative source in the team and need to be played in each game. No coincidence that Rooney put the cross in for the goal on Saturday. What other team drops their leading goal scorer because they can't run?

Sigurdsson puts a shift in and should be kept in the team as he is a threat same goes for Niasse.

Next he will be dropping Walcott because he can't play with his back to goal or dropping Tosun because he doesn't chase down the channels. Walcott likes the ball in-front of him, it looks like Cenk likes to link up and have players run beyond him how is this going to happen?

How is Schneiderlin getting game time.
Why haven't we bought a left footer? No shots on target but the manager says we have to be more boring!

No structure to our play, we react to situations rather than impose ourselves.

Did anyone notice that it was Kenny's role to mark Rondon from corners, what is that all about.

From Walsh down the club is a joke. The whole thing is a mess.

Martin Reppion
32 Posted 22/01/2018 at 08:53:56
Rooney and Sigurdsson can't play together? Has nobody watched a video of us demolishing West Ham a couple of months back.

Rooney lined up alongside Gueye in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but was given the free role of joining the attack. He broke up all their play when in the defensive role and scored a hat-trick, including THAT goal.

Meanwhile Sigurdsson was employed centrally in the 3 behind a lone striker. Rooney has the craft and experience to influence a game from deep and also the desire to come forward and get involved when the time is right. Instead we play 2 'holding' players who get a nose bleed if they cross the halfway line and are surprised when we get out numbered in attack.

We ripped them apart that night, so any notion that we can't play these guys in the same team is absolute rubbish.

Anthony Hawkins
33 Posted 22/01/2018 at 08:54:27
I agree with the manager – Rooney and Sigurdsson can't play together. Drop Rooney and Schneiderlin and we're good.
Colin Glassar
34 Posted 22/01/2018 at 08:58:43
I can't wait to see the back of this idiot. Keep us up, Sam... then bugger off to your golden retirement in the Gulf.
Tony Hill
35 Posted 22/01/2018 at 09:05:30
You can play Rooney as deep as you like but he's just not up to it physically, even with a runner to help him. He's a free channel for the opposition to get at us. He remains capable of excellence but his slipshod passing and lack of reaction speed are plain indicators that he is not suitable for a Premier League midfield.

As we know, Sigurdsson is one-paced but he also looks weak in general play. I think his lack of a pre-season remains a factor. Klaassen and Davies have been similarly poor this season. Schneiderlin's continuing selection is indeed a mystery

The lack of conditioning in our side is obvious and I don't understand it. We are always a half-yard off the pace and we get brushed off the ball more often than not.

Whether Allardyce should be saying any of this is a different matter. If he said nothing or told us that it was all going to be fine would we be pleased? As for players' morale, it's time that they took responsibility regardless.

Jim Bennings
36 Posted 22/01/2018 at 09:07:53
I enjoyed football far far more in the days of 4-4-2.

Sick of the same over complicated shite now where there seems to be a unwritten law of having TWO holding midfielders that never cross the halfway line.

Ric Dowse
37 Posted 22/01/2018 at 09:09:39
No 32, Martin, I for one agree with you.
Stephen Jones
38 Posted 22/01/2018 at 09:18:04
I agree that it is difficult to accommodate both as they want the same position. Pushing Sigurdsson wide is not the answer as this severely reduces his ability to influence the game.

This is Rooney's swansong season, he certainly won't be starting many games next season (if he hasn't retired) as his legs have gone. Sigurdsson is our record signing and we should build our team around him.

Stephen Jones
39 Posted 22/01/2018 at 09:28:51
Oh, I forgot to add – first rule of football management: discussion about the inadequacies of your players should be held in the bootroom – not in front of the media.

Muppet!

Karl Meighan
40 Posted 22/01/2018 at 09:47:42
With Rooney its understandable hes coming to the end of his career, Siggurdsen was a 40m signing supposedly coming to his peak and he cant run, you have to be joking. There was a moment in Saturdays game were Gareth Barry kept pace with him quite laughable.

We have to many players all around a similar level with that level not being good enough to wear are fucking shirt. To many players without commitment, will to win, love for the shirt and more than happy to pick up wages that have not been earned.

There is not a player maybe the keeper apart who I fear losing, any ten to fifteen players and imo it don't matter who, need shipping out, the problem being who would buy them?

Eddie Dunn
41 Posted 22/01/2018 at 10:08:06
Some good posts above but before poor James mccarthy suffered that dreadful injury he and Schneiderlin were both having poor games. Gueye is all about closing -down ,his passing is awful.
I would try playing Wayne deeper with Davies and young Benji. I also think that Klaason could do a job but he needs technically adept runners to play off him.
The problem must lie in the contracts. Why is Schniederlin picked so regularly? Why are Rooney and Siggurdson picked so often?
It could boil down to wages and fees needing to be justified. The whole circus is unbalanced.
Colin Glassar
42 Posted 22/01/2018 at 10:12:08
Jim 36, 3-2-5 was much more entertaining.
Brian Williams
43 Posted 22/01/2018 at 10:25:35
Col. It was actually 2-3-5.
Left back, right back.
Left half, centre half, right half.
Outside left, inside left, centre forward,inside right, outside right.

Just totally reversed now!! All the worse for it.

Steve Brown
44 Posted 22/01/2018 at 10:30:40
Watching Allardyce trying to figure this is like watching a tadpole crawl out of the primordial swamp and try to stand. As other posters have said, the issue is having the dreadful Schneiderlin as holding midfielder not who plays in front of that role.

We could choose someone else to play that role rather than Rooney, but then we lose his goals and assists where nobody is creating anything. Certainly not Sigurdsson – there probably is a player hidden there somewhere but it's bloody well camouflaged at present. Rooney has gained us 15 points this season himself in addition to 3 assists for goals. And before someone says "it is a team game", of course it is, but Real Madrid retain Ronaldo despite his patchy form these days he can do things at the age of 32 that other team members will not be able to do in their career.

As for the claim that his pass completion rate this season is 1 in 10, I will check that but his percentage success rate might be weakened by being one of the team with the nuts to look for a forward pass.

Martin Reppion
45 Posted 22/01/2018 at 10:34:59
Col/Brian,
Welcome to the dinosaurs club.

Yes 2-3-5 was fun. Until the Magyars came to Wembley and destroyed England by dropping their centre forward deep and having 2 attacking midfielders. Fun is good. Winning games is what we need now.

Blackpool were entertaining in their season in the sun. But where are they now. The same can be said of Wigan.

Steve Brown
46 Posted 22/01/2018 at 10:36:22
Rooney's average pass completion rate is 78%, same as Sigurdsson.
Mark Burton
47 Posted 22/01/2018 at 10:39:43
Wake up, Sam. Schneiderlin can't play with anyone in the same team. Try not play him and see how the rest get on. The result may surprise you.
Andrew Heffernan
48 Posted 22/01/2018 at 11:08:35
As bad as Everton are playing right now, Sam raising how close we are to the bottom three is mind games.

He knows damn well there are over ten worse teams in the league but making this point covers his ass for the crap being played.

He was never my man, and I honestly do think the Board bottled it but I will never accept we were in danger of going down bar a 'down tools' or massive injury crisis.

Agree with many, Schniederlin, what a shame to lose McCarthy the way we did.

Anthony Dwyer
49 Posted 22/01/2018 at 11:18:34
Sam has another valid point, but he's still not up to the job.

Sack him now and give Silva a good look at the squad on a 6-month deal and see if he's up to it!?!?

Paul Kelly
50 Posted 22/01/2018 at 11:39:01
Man up, Sam. Your team, you sort it out. End of.
Karl Meighan
52 Posted 22/01/2018 at 11:46:11
Anthony, then we're no better than Watford, 10 managers in 7 seasons – no thanks. Sam has to be given a chance; the shite that clown Koeman left us with wouldn't perform any better under any manager imo.

No manager can come in and give players quality. I've read hundreds on here calling for Sigurdsson to play central, it may only be one game but, if that's what he offers, oh dear.

James Kenny
53 Posted 22/01/2018 at 11:46:41
As many have said when you play Schneiderlin how can you expect to win. If you played Gueye or Beni instead of him that would allow Rooney to dictate play and Sigurdsson to support the attack. Please though no more Williams and Martina, and please please find a place for Lookman instead of Bolasie.

Encouraging start for Walcott. Not so encouraging for Tosun. I hope he learns quickly to hold the ball up instead of constant flicks and aimless back heels.

Tony Abrahams
54 Posted 22/01/2018 at 11:57:14
I think this might be post number 50, and I'm sure more people have mentioned Schneiderlin, not being good enough, than anything else. He's that bad, it's painful, because I'm not sure it's a confidence issue, but more like someone who just looks like he can't be bothered?

A good manager will get the best out of what he's got, just like good players will usually try and get the ball to their most dangerous team-mates. I'm afraid we are badly failing in both counts at the minute.

Lookman, never got a pass for 20 minutes after he created our goal at Anfield, and nobody tried to really bring Walcott, into the game on Saturday, until Rooney started hitting some ridiculous cross-field passes. It worked in the end, (although it was more like a cross, for our goal) so I was glad about that, but we haven't got a proper good midfielder at the minute, so maybe it's time to change the system again?

Like for like Sam, has got to start doing more with this squad of players, and he can start by playing players who don't agitate the crowd, because if he doesn't and the crowd do turn, then it's not going to do anyone any good, given how fragile most of these players seem to be?

Andrew Ellams
55 Posted 22/01/2018 at 11:57:41
He's right... so what he needs to do now is bring in somebody with a bit more forward impetus to play alongside a defensive midfielder, as per Pogba and Matic at Man Utd.
Liam Reilly
56 Posted 22/01/2018 at 12:04:47
Steve (#46),

Thanks for adding some balance to the thread.

Rooney 78% passing accuracy – same as Sigurdsson, plus he's our top goal scorer; so the general consensus is – to get shot of him.

Let's play him deeper alongside 1 defensive midfielder and see how that works out.

Brian Harrison
57 Posted 22/01/2018 at 12:15:23
So Allardyce is saying we lack legs; fair enough, then why play Bolasie who Allardyce admits isn't up to speed instead of Lookman who has pace. He plays Schneiderlin who cant get much slower instead of Gueye who covers far more ground. The he buys Tosun and it is far to early to judge but what was obvious to everybody who was there he has hardly any pace.

The guy I feel sorry for is Moshiri he has come in and allowed Walsh and Koeman to spend a fortune on players in the summer, so rather than pushing on from last seasons 7th we have regressed. He has 22 days into the window allowed Walsh again and Allardyce to spend nearly £50 million, and we were lucky to draw at home to the 2nd bottom team in the league.

Andrew Ellams
58 Posted 22/01/2018 at 12:28:25
Brian, the difference is Rooney's legs have gone but Bolasie's will come back with game time.
Steve Brown
59 Posted 22/01/2018 at 13:00:17
Liam (#56), I know. Just don't get the anti-Rooney bias sometimes when the facts show the opposite.
Brian Harrison
60 Posted 22/01/2018 at 13:01:10
Andrew.

If you were referring to me, I never mentioned Rooney, I was just pointing out that Allardyce said Bolasie isn't yet up to speed then why not play Lookman who is up to speed?

Yes we all hope Bolasie gets back up to speed, but tell me were was the sense in bringing him back into a starting position when, as the manager admits, he isn't up to speed.

Bolasie had a very bad injury and should have been nursed back – not thrown in after 12 months out and only 40 minutes in an Under-23 game.

Andrew Ellams
61 Posted 22/01/2018 at 13:24:28
Brian, I know you didn't mention Rooney but when Allardyce states we don't have the legs it's fairly obvious where he's aiming.

With regards to Lookman and Bolasie, the Anfield cup tie cameo apart Lookman has looked a long way away from being ready for the Premier League, far enough to probably justify a loan move in fact if the situation was different.

So, because of that, Allardyce is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't regarding Bolasie. You only need to look at the number of commenters on these pages who are starting to throw blame at Kenny and Holgate to see what happens if a youngster doesn't turn out to be the next big thing from the off.

James Highet
62 Posted 22/01/2018 at 13:25:19
I have a new name to my pain as an Evertonian and his name is Schneiderlin!!!

No effort, no heart everything that is wrong with the modern footballer. Would play anyone on that field instead of him.

I take myself back to the days when I hoped for an investor under the David Moyes era, now we have the money we have pissed it all up the wall it seems.

This team has been in a rot since Martinez second season and it will take more than someone just buying new players all the time as the answer. I remember Everton playing and winning without any recognised strikers because we had heart and direction.

Ian Edwards
63 Posted 22/01/2018 at 13:40:00
Football is a simple game. It's clear that we don't press when the other team has the ball. We defend too deep so when we get possession we inevitably lose it before we get to the half way line.

The team lacks sufficient attacking impetus playing 2 holding midfielders at home. they are responsible for feeding the ball to the 3 in front of them but they don't do so. When one of the 3 does get the ball the lone forward or the other 2 with him aren't close enough so he has to either beat a man to make a pass or go backwards. Usually they go backwards.

We have a very poor defence. Williams has never done a decent job. Holgate is probably the best of a bad bunch. Both full backs are horrendously poor. Particularly Kenny who leaks goals

If I can see these tactics aren't working why can't the Management team.

Andrew Bentley
64 Posted 22/01/2018 at 13:41:28
Agree that Rooney & Sigurdsson shouldn't be in the same starting 11 as they don't bring out the best in each other and need pace + options around them to enable them to do their magic. For me, I'd go with Sigurdsson first and give him a run of games in the No 10 position with both Bolasie (although I've never been a massive fan!) and Walcott either side. Then let's see how we get on.

Some good discussions about the insistence on playing two defensive midfielders each game. If we had both Baines & Coleman in their prime bombing down each wing then it makes sense as we need the two defensive midfielders to drop back in to cover their slots. But when we are playing with a makeshift left-back and Kenny at right back (who I think has done admirably this year in the role) that aren't offering pace, and aren't attacking as much as defending then we are basically just inviting teams onto us and putting ourselves under pressure, as their midfielders don't need to worry about wing backs or tracking back.

Either get a left-back with some pace and attacking guile to help change the dynamic, or stop playing that flaming formation and persisting with two defensive midfielders Surely the horrible man in charge, who is being paid a fortune, should be able to work that out.

Fran Mitchell
65 Posted 22/01/2018 at 13:54:57
As our £45 million man, the team must be built around Sigurdsson. He does have ability, but the current system is far from one that suits him.

Rooney should be a sub. He can have more impact for the team coming on with 30 minutes to go than from the start.

But as is so often repeated on here, Schneiderlin has to go. Yet with McCarthy's injury, not gonna happen.

Gueye and Davies, Klaassen, Bannigime
Sigurdsson
Walcott, Vlasic and Lookman or Bolasie
Tosun or Calvert-Lewin or Walcott

Rooney and Niasse on bench, always.

Tom Bowers
66 Posted 22/01/2018 at 14:00:34
There are so many things wrong at Goodison these days one can't keep pace with all the opinions. From the current manager and manager before, individual players, tactics, the Board and the starting team selection, take your pick.

One thing is certain, it's a mess.

Sadly, Everton never look like having the desire to win a game right from the first whistle and that has been an alarming fact in so many games even before Allardyce.

Changing the personnel is always an option but not always a solution as we have painfully found out this season.

Whilst still in freefall Everton can still be in a relegation dogfight . Points of any description are becoming so precious so it is doubly important that Allardyce gets this defence sorted out.

Going behind so early against teams like Albion has become so frequent one wonders what is in the players minds when they come out of the tunnel.

If Gylfi and Rooney don't have the legs then perhaps they should be permanent substitutes.

They are getting paid so much money and yet don't have the ''pace'' (what a waste)

Rooney maybe but surely not Gylfi who is a lot younger.

This statement by Allardyce explains something we have known all season that Everton have no drive or pace from midfield that can create space for the forward players.

Gana can run a bit but far too often screws things up much like Tom Davies.

Okay, they may recover just enough to stay in mid-table but more new signings are inevitable before next season.

Peter Lee
67 Posted 22/01/2018 at 14:00:38
It's an old joke, you've all heard it but in this context it bears repeating.

Car stops, driver asks pedestrian for directions to Manchester.

Pedestrian says "If I were you I wouldn't start from here."

Sam Allardyce walked into a club which had a large and unbalanced squad that was failing to perform to expectations.

Everyone knew we were light up top, all have now recognised that there is no right/left balance in the squad. I remember being shouted down by several regular posters last season when I made the case for a strong left-sided centre-back! How times, and opinions, change.

Another aspect is the dearth of players who have physical presence. Williams is one, whatever his other failings, and the only other was Gareth Barry. We also lack leadership on the pitch. These two qualities often go together.

The other issue is of course pace. Whoever manages the club needs to see these things and to address them.

Koeman signally failed to do this. Walsh's role, and the relationship he has with the manager, the owner and the chairman in decisions to buy and sell, needs to be understood before anyone calls for his head. The blame game is easy. We will not be told who recommended who, to whom, when and with what outcome so give yourselves a break and look at what is known.

Look at what the manager says and see if the decisions he makes make sense.

You can avoid defeat by not conceding. Sort the defence out. If you want to relieve pressure on the defence you need to have a strong midfield that can win the ball, retain quality possession and move the ball (quickly).

If you don't have pace at the back you have got to have pace up front. Get some into the team.

When you get the ball up front you have to keep it there by supporting the man on the ball. Second ball wins are critical.

Allardyce has bought a striker, two if you count Walcott, and he has bought pace in the latter. He plays Bolasie, a player I never rated, but he does have pace and Allardyce knows that he won't get faster and fitter if he doesn't play. A gamble.

He started McCarthy as soon as he could in preference to Gueye and Davies. Leave abilities to one side, these are physically weak players who are not capable of driving the side forward. Look at teams above and around us. Most have an emphasis on power in those positions. He plays Schneiderlin because, aside from his glaring faults he is stronger than the others. He doesn't rate Besic. He doesn't pick him. He doesn't think that Baningime is ready, although he has said positive things about him. He doesn't get picked.

The little we have seen of Tosun in a blue shirt suggests that he is one to get stuck in in a way that Calvert-Lewin and Niasse don't. They chase everything when we have lost the ball but rarely put a foot in. When fit Tosun will get the shout ahead of the other two.

Supporting the man at the point of an attack to develop second balls needs pace coming off the wings or from midfield. Potentially Walcott and Bolasie can do this, Allardyce has made it plain that Rooney and Sigurdsson can't. If he is to play one Sigurdsson, being the younger with excellent coverage stats, will be the man.

We don't know what funds were available this window. First chance Allardyce has had, he has gone for forward strength. To read the critics on here you would have expected to him to buy hairy-arsed grocks to play at the back and a couple of lumpen thugs to growl around midfield. He could have, he didn't.

We are in a precarious position in many ways. We were going down previously, we still could. I have been puzzled by just two things Allardyce has not done so far.

The first is to buy in a decent left-back. Unlike many posters I don't think that Baines is finished at this level, his defensive quality is still there and his creative abilities are never going to re-emerge as they did when he had Arteta, Pienaar, Osman and Cahill playing him in. We will need a strong replacement soon. The choice for the manager may be stop-gap, proven quality replacement not available, or stick with Martina until Baines is fit. His choice, he lives with it.

The other related puzzle for me is his persistence with a shape that doesn't give any cover to the vulnerability of Martina. This was most exposed at Spurs but it is a consistent feature. He must have his reasons. He has answered questions straight-forwardly and honestly in his public comments. That's what generated this thread, so how about a question on that from the hacks? At least they might shed some light for once.

All teams need a balance of power and guile. The great players have both. Rooney had that, if he is to play further back he needs power alongside him. His coverage stats are far from poor, it's that yard of pace, often generated from his first touch taking the ball away from challenge, which has gone.

None of our current crop of centre-backs, Williams and Funes Mori excepted, have power and/or pace. None of them will be permanent features in a future top-six side. Keane may be okay in a stronger unit. We are treading water at the back. Kenny has many qualities but he is lightweight, Garbutt is the same. Ironically I could see Galloway and Holgate making it at full-back but they are a long way from the finished article and Galloway may have missed the boat.

Looking at the U23 squad in general, there is little there. A strong LFC side ran over them and spoiled the party at the end of last season. Baningime could be the exception.

We can judge who Allardyce doesn't rate because he doesn't pick them when he has alternatives. Ramirez, Niasse, Lookman, Klaassen and Gueye fall into that category. I suspect that there are others there on sufferance.

He has said that the squad is too big. You can't give people the odd chance to develop in those circumstances. It needs slashing. It certainly doesn't need younger players named to encourage them by not giving them game time.

With a clean sheet I would start pre-season with these in the squad

Pickford, Stekelenburg
Coleman, Kenny
Williams, Funes Mori
Baines
McCarthy,
Rooney, Sigurdsson,
Walcott, Calvert-Lewin, Bolasie

maybe Keane, Holgate, Galloway, Gueye, Baningime.

I never agreed with the calls last year for half-a-dozen or more new players. We did that. Lots of mediocrity. Other teams have done the same in the past. We need to buy proven quality. two dominant centre-backs, with pace and one with a left-foot to start.

A strong centre-midfielder, left-sided would be a bonus, someone like, err, Gareth Barry. A left-sided wide midfield player would complete the shopping list.

Final comment re Lookman. Great potential, already very skilled and balanced. Never going to be a power-house but will flourish in a team that has more power and pace than we have/are likely to have next season. If I was him I would be off to Man City. They'd buy him as well.

Happy New Year

Lawrence Green
68 Posted 22/01/2018 at 14:26:38
Perm any two players fom the entire squad and see if you can come up with two players who can play together.
Michael Williams
69 Posted 22/01/2018 at 14:31:30
Sigurdsson had 13 assists last season, which is very good. However, only 5 were in open play. The rest were set-pieces. And he played a ton of minutes. Not that great of a Number 10.
James Stewart
71 Posted 22/01/2018 at 14:40:59
Yes, they can. Give Schneiderlin his P45, Rooney slots into midfield, Gueye and Davies alongside him doing the legwork.
Sean Patton
72 Posted 22/01/2018 at 14:43:00
So these two can't play together whereas Schneiderlin can't play, full stop.
Paul McGinty
73 Posted 22/01/2018 at 14:51:02
Mike (#16), fair enough comment . Am just a desperate Blue looking for something positive, The new guy is not blessed with pace for the ball over the top. That's obvious even after two partial games. His goalscoring record indicates that if he can get in the box he has a strikers instincts.

So that's me being optimistic. In his limited time to date obviously he's been isolated and without pace he's not going to run away from defenders like our former Number 9. Hope it works out for him and us.
James Hughes
74 Posted 22/01/2018 at 15:04:05
Well Sam as don't have another game until the 31st you have time to work it out pal.

Take the over-paid, under-performing bunch of misfits on some warm weather training. Then train them until they understand how to play together and you have an idea what is the best line-up. Also get their eyes tested for colour blindness as they can't seem to pass to anyone in Blue.

One last thing wherever you go please leave Schneiderlin behind. Either that or a file a missing person report because that bloke on the pitch is an impostor.

Dave Abrahams
75 Posted 22/01/2018 at 15:14:27
James (74), no keep them here, let them get used to the weather we are having, they will not be playing in warm weather when they get back.

Martinez tried that, took them to somewhere nice and warm and when they came back they played worse than they had been before they went.

There is a chance in the next ten days to get them fitter, much fitter than they look and to work out some tactics that will make us play better than we are at the moment and have been for most / all of this season. Start earning your huge wages, Sam.

Jamie Evans
76 Posted 22/01/2018 at 15:23:02
Yes they can, dearest Sam Yes they can.

If only your brain was as big as your ego. It's so simple that almost all on TW agree on how to do it which in itself is almost unheard of previously.

It's very, very simple you anti-football genius so please try to keep up. Here we go -

Play Gylfi Sigurdsson centrally just behind our main striker.
Play Wayne Rooney as a central midfielder.
NOT a holding midfielder.
NOT an attacking midfielder.
Just a central midfielder.

He can perform this role comfortably providing there are some legs next to him, i.e. Gueye and not Schneiderlin.
Cover should be provided by Davies and Baningime.

Lesson over, Sam. Just 4 more wins needed and we are safe.

Altogether now, 'We found love in a hopeless place.'

Derek Knox
77 Posted 22/01/2018 at 15:27:29
Having read through the posts I think most people , well nearly all, agree that Schneiderlin is the Weakest Link, yet the man who is picking up £6M a year can't see it.

Craig Shakespeare is supposed to be observing in the stands; so surely he must see it; and pick up the vibes of many a disgruntled supporter.

Maybe he does; and Sam is that stubborn he won't be proved wrong; either way I think Sam has shown that he will be on his way come the end of the season; if we manage to survive.

I also think it is possible to accommodate Rooney and Sigurdsson in the same team, Rooney in a deeper role alongside Gana or Baningime or Davies, and Sigurdsson behind a pair of strikers Tosun, with Calvert-Lewin or Niasse, Walcott and Lookman or Bolasie on the wings.

Although he has said we won't be getting a defender in before the window closes; I also think it essential to at least get the left-back sorted, and possibly another centre-backtoo.

Barry Pearce
78 Posted 22/01/2018 at 15:28:38
Baningime should be in the squad at the very least. Much better than Schneiderlin. How he keeps getting picked with the performances he's putting in, is criminal.

Alan J Thompson
80 Posted 22/01/2018 at 16:13:05
Barry(#78); Are you not listening, he wants players 25-30 years of age as he thinks we have too many youngsters already. Not a word anywhere about having any skill which may explain Schneiderlin's constant selection.
Clive Mitchell
81 Posted 22/01/2018 at 16:54:23
Could ToffeeWeb start a crowdfunding campaign to buy Schneiderlin a one way ticket to the MLS?

It really is impossible to warm to Allardyce, isn't it? I can almost hear Sam's heartfelt explanation that Schneiderlin is a big lump who manages to get in the opposition's way and then spread it laterally to a teammate; he's reliable; he's professional; he makes up in size for what he lacks in courage.

Thing is Sam, unlike McCarthy, Davies, Baningime, Gueye, Schneiderlin frustrates the balls off the fans because he plays in a way that rips the guts out of the dream. Which is why we want Silva here to replace you asap.

Roger Helm
82 Posted 22/01/2018 at 16:55:58
Whoever he plays, in whatever position, all of our players need to be faster, stronger physically and mentally, fitter and nastier. I'm fed up of seeing our players out-muscled and outrun. Two good examples on Saturday when two WBA players just ran past our midfielders and got in two good shots, one hitting the bar. You can't create anything until you actually gain possession.

The club needs to think out of the box and get conditioning coaches and psychologists etc from other sports like rugby, American football and American basketball, where these things are better managed.

Anthony Hawkins
83 Posted 22/01/2018 at 17:06:47
Our team lacks aggression and that nasty streak. It’s all far too polite and I bet they practise that way too. ‘Don’t go in too hard...’.
James Hughes
84 Posted 22/01/2018 at 17:08:04
Dave A. That's fine as well sir, they did get worse after Martinez took them away.

Send them to Sweden as that is colder, as long as we leave Morgan behind in lost luggage. he seems to be just baggage at the moment.

Karl Masters
85 Posted 22/01/2018 at 17:27:23
Those complaining he's being too honest and upsetting the players:

Don't know what you expect! We are turgid and terrible to watch. At last he's finally realised you have to play Sigurdsson down the middle (think of the goal at Anfield) and you can't play Rooney there as well as they are not quick enough to cover other areas when needed.

Only place for Rooney is deep lying midfield (think West Ham) and I think you can play the pair of them, just not close together. The penny will drop on that one too eventually.

Just as it will that Lookman should be on the left, Walcott on the right and Tosun through the middle with Calvert-Lewin an able replacement. Bolasie way off the pace just now, should be Lookman's deputy not the other way round.

Holgate and Jags at the back with Keane and Williams as the stand ins. Gueye next to Rooney, Coleman ahead of Kenny eventually, but his deputy until match fit. Get the lad in from Bristol asap, Baines injury a serious one I think.

First choice team: Pickford, Coleman, Holgate, Jagielka, Bryan, Gueye, Rooney, Lookman, Walcott, Sigurdsson, Tosun.

Stand-in team (same formation): Robles, Kenny, Martina or Baines, Williams, Keane, Schneiderlin, Baningime, Davies, Bolasie, Klaassen, Calvert-Lewin.

Then pick that first choice team injuries allowing for 5 or 6 games and give them a chance to gel.

He's like a blind man trying put a jigsaw together. To be fair some of the pieces don't fit very well, Koeman dropped the box on the floor and some bloke called Steve keeps trying to help but makes it worse.

One day, he will work it out. It will take time, patience is required. His honesty is refreshing in my opinion.

Karl Masters
86 Posted 22/01/2018 at 17:30:43
And we have Niasse as the joker in the pack. :)
Alexander Murphy
87 Posted 22/01/2018 at 17:52:05
Will (#18) possibly from your muddy pitch hardmen reference you'll recall Harry Catterick as a kid. Never had a decent word for the press, in fact never saw a need for them at all. Big Fat Sam could learn a great deal from Harry in that regard.

What he could never learn from Catterick is how to produce a team capable of playing football. Allardyce's whole philosophy is based upon avoiding "the beautiful game". He was a yard dog as a player, bereft of anything admirable.

Relegation for our beloved Everton Football Club would be dismal and humiliating. For me, having Allardyce as manager is finishing 17th.

Gavin Wadeson
88 Posted 22/01/2018 at 18:36:57
If the signing of Tosun turns out to be another failure, we should play Rooney as the striker and Sigurdsson as the No 10. Niasse is having a lucky season but his luck will run out eventually. Calvert-Lewin not good enough yet.

Fingers crossed Tosun is a lot better than Walsh's other signings so far. If not, we should play Rooney as a striker until Calvert-Lewin is good enough to play week-in & week-out.

Ian Bennett
89 Posted 22/01/2018 at 18:42:20
I'd love for Alladyce to comment on what Schneiderlin and Martina offer. Rooney and Sigurdsson might not have the legs, but those two are just crap.
Jack Farrell
90 Posted 22/01/2018 at 18:47:40
No shit, Sam? Rooney and Sigurdsson can't play together? I hadn't worked that one out. Football genius, you, Sam lad.
David Pearl
91 Posted 22/01/2018 at 18:47:54
Lots of the usual negativity re Schneiderlin. Perhaps supporting him instead of him hearing groans might help. He played okay on the weekend, played a few good passes and endlessly has to cover this excuse of a defence.

Two new full-backs please and you'd see a lot more of a difference than replacing Schneiderlin. In the whole, Sam talks more sense that people realise. However, Rooney is capable of giving the ball away in the wrong areas. I don't know why.

Who is our top scorer this season? Oh yes... it's the ale-house Rooney. Sigurdsson tried hard. I'm not sure about Tosun. Does he have the pace and presence required?

Niasse won a few in the air the other day (maybe helped by Big Dunc) and deserves to start the next game as he hardly put a foot wrong and linked up with Walcott well... he also would give Rooney the out-ball he is looking for.

John Davies
92 Posted 22/01/2018 at 18:48:46
Allardyce is a complete See You Next Tuesday. How the fuck does he expect players to want to play for him when he spouts this shite? What were Moshiri and Bellend Bill thinking of when they appointed this crass idiot? Just get rid of the archaic tosser. Now... please!

Jesus, I hate this club right now although I am a supporter of 55+ years – and I'll be there to watch us get turned over by Leicester. What the fuck is wrong with me?

Rage, absolute rage is the overriding feeling right now.

Jay Harris
93 Posted 22/01/2018 at 19:15:17
Take a chill pill, John.

We can't do anything manager wise until the end of the season so we may as well get behind the only man who can make a difference and apparently the only one prepared to take a basket case on.

John Davies
94 Posted 22/01/2018 at 19:25:21
Jay, I can't get behind him mate. He's our worst managerial appointment ever. I'll get behind the team mate, I always do but I just want this guy gone at the very earliest opportunity.

Popping a chill pill as we text!!!

Tony Hill
95 Posted 22/01/2018 at 19:44:53
Jay (#93), don't bother, mate. Allardyce is doomed. The majority of fans never wanted him and still don't and nor do enough of the players. Mind you, it's difficult to know who the players do want because they made fuck all effort for Unsworth until it was too late.

We'll find someone who will do the trick, though, I'm sure. Someone who just shouts loudly enough at the team about the Everton way, until they understand it and puff out their chests, and show us what we've been missing for the last 30 years.

Frank Crewe
96 Posted 22/01/2018 at 19:57:04
Tony (#95),

So how many more managers do you think we'll hire and fire before we get the right one? How much do you think it will cost?

Tony Hill
97 Posted 22/01/2018 at 20:07:51
Oh, I agree entirely, Frank (#96). I think there are fundamental structural problems at the club which are long-established and which have been endlessly rehearsed on here. We had a disastrous and damaging transfer window in the summer, of course.

There is a complex of reasons for Everton's misfortunes and I now doubt that there is any manager who can turn us around in the foreseeable future. I fear instead that we are on a dangerous downward slope. I was being ironic in my earlier post.

I think there are many people, though, who believe that if we get rid of Allardyce and find another manager (I predict Fonseca or Silva will be the majority preferences) then the clouds will part and the sun will shine upon us. At least that keeps their hope alive, I suppose.

David Hallwood
98 Posted 22/01/2018 at 20:08:21
Watching the RS and the commentator’s just said; it’s good that Swansea getting their wingbacks in action as Mane and Salah have to play deeper.

Allardyce take note.

Peter Warren
99 Posted 22/01/2018 at 20:10:54
I am absolutely baffled about everything on the pitch and recruitment strategy.

The only partnership I can think of on the pitch is Williams and Holgate and that is not a good one. Actually to be fair Davies and Niasse play together although rarely feature, particularly together.

Literally every other player we have plays as an individual. I’ve never know such a lack of team.

It’s scary to think how lucky we have been this season as well, we could be far far worse.

I just don’t understand how bad we are and unfortunately it seems our manager can’t either. I feel very sorry for all fans and Moshiri.

Andrew Bissett
100 Posted 22/01/2018 at 20:27:20
I'd go 4-1-4-1.

Pickford
Kenny, Holgate, Jagielka, Garbutt
Gueye
Bolasie, Rooney, Sigurdsson, Walcott
Tosun

With Niasse, Lookman, Vlasic, Williams, Davies, Baningime, and Robles on the bench.

Derek Knox
101 Posted 22/01/2018 at 20:43:00
David @98, there's also very few misplaced, or backward passes, they haven't buckled, although under the cosh for a while, and are one goal to the good.
Tony Sullivan
102 Posted 22/01/2018 at 21:14:41
Read the first 6 posts on this thread, were it seems to me the manager is at least, saying it like it is.

However, after 6 posts (apart from Mike Gaynes), the negativity of posters leads me to switch off, I get fed up with it.

I realise Allardyce is not everyone's cup of tea, but give the guy a chance, and at least appreciate his honesty.

Dermot Byrne
103 Posted 22/01/2018 at 21:30:41
Tony 102: most threads started fairly reasoned and then disintegrate. Found myself talking shit in an argument I had no interest in by joining a thread late.

I think views just get more extreme to counter the extreme opposite view just expressed. But sometimes if you stand back, they can be unintentionally very funny!

Si Cooper
104 Posted 22/01/2018 at 21:43:11
David Barks (14), you could add Gana to those two but it is a very loose description of box to box. Sure those guys can cover the ground but none of them have good acceleration or great strength. I have hopes for Davies because he is still so young but at some stage he is going to have to do some serious sprinting work because he doesn’t look to have the right muscle fibres naturally. None of them brings an aerial presence either.

Rooney and Gylfi weren’t part of the same recruitment strategy were they? Gylfi was a Barkley replacement and Rooney was a bonus / makeweight to sweeten the Lukaku departure. I doubt Koeman had any real say in that one and probably didn’t intend to rely on Rooney, but the real ‘oops!’ moment was whenever the penny dropped that Klaasen was simply not going to be able to step up to the pace of a typical Prem game.

We could really do with an Axl Witzel, Moussa Dembele, Nemanja Matic type of midfielder but there doesn’t seem much hope for that since the Nzonzi rumour sank without trace.

John Boon
105 Posted 22/01/2018 at 23:14:11
Just think it is more than laughable to hear "Brainwave" Sam state that Rooney and Sigurdsson cannot play together when it is obvious that the entire team cannot play together.

Perhaps it is easier for him to only have to worry about two players. All problems solved... WOW! – he really is a football genius.

Barry McNally
106 Posted 22/01/2018 at 23:21:53
There must be a clause in Schneiderlin's contract that he gets paid double if not in the XI.
Phil Lewis
107 Posted 23/01/2018 at 00:59:13
The more I see of Sigurdsson, it becomes increasingly apparent to me why he didn't make the grade at Spurs. He may have looked good at Swansea, but let's face it, so did Ashley Williams. The harsh truth beckons with every performance and that is that neither are top class players. How come no big name club made a serious bid for Sigurdsson during the long months that his transfer saga dragged on?

Forty five million pounds for a dead ball specialist? Do me a favour! Yet that is all Sigurdsson seems to have going for him at present. We were mugged! Watching him against West Brom was like witnessing the proverbial 'Headless Chicken'. The ball was like a hot potato to him. His distribution was awful. Silly flick-ons, running into dead ends. Gareth Barry had him in his pocket.

Yes, I have to admit that Rooney is a shadow of his former self, but even so, his overall performances thus far, have been superior and more effective than Sigurdsson's. At least he retains the ability to put his foot on the ball and create. His body has slowed, but his football brain still ticks perfectly well.

I was Ross Barkley's biggest critic, even at the height of his popularity. But I now firmly believe that he had more to offer than Sigurdsson. Indeed, Gareth Barry's performance on Saturday, was a masterclass, particularly compared to Schneiderlin's abysmal display. It confirmed my belief that we should have held on to him for at least another season.

Like the words of that old Joni Mitchell song, 'Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got till it's gone!'

Ian Bennett
108 Posted 23/01/2018 at 06:54:42
Hmm, and what bright spark talent scout signed them with Klaassen?

Yep, in a side already devoid of pace – with Jagielka, Williams, Baines, Schneiderlin and Keane – we thought we'd corner the market in slow playmakers. Brilliant stuff.

Hugh Jenkins
109 Posted 23/01/2018 at 07:32:05
John (105). The thing of course is that, that was obvious to almost everyone, except our former manager!

It seems that the philosophy was:-

We must play Wayne as he is the returning prodigal son (who is also allegedly on £150k a week) and we must play Sigurdsson as he is our record signing.

Dave Evans
110 Posted 23/01/2018 at 07:56:44
Phil (#107),

I am glad you and many others regret slagging off the Barkley.

Lukaku, Stones and Barry were similarly slagged off, when we had them, by the tide of opinion on here. People let their emotion cloud any sense of perspective. Always have, always will.

Perhaps similarly, the conclusions of some and the vitriol in the above posts are also wrong?

Sam Hoare
111 Posted 23/01/2018 at 09:32:56
I didn't particularly want us to buy either Rooney or Sigurdsson and I stand by that.

Part of the reason is that I agree with Sam that our team/squad is severely lacking in power and pace, as shown most clearly when we were swatted aside by Tottenham.

Too often this season, I have seen our players pushed off the ball, not fit enough to track runners or not quick enough to find space. Our midfield in particular seems to be bypassed far too easily when we are defending despite the fact that we often play 2 if not 3 defensive midfielders, meaning we are poor going forwards too.

Despite our surplus of central midfielders we don't seem to have any who are able to both defend and attack with any consistency, no-one who can both pass and tackle effectively. Oh for a Dembele, Pogba, Kante, Fernandinho... I'd even take an Emre Can.

Eddie Dunn
112 Posted 23/01/2018 at 10:02:55
Peter Reid had no pace and wasn't a big unit but he could keep the ball, pass and tackle. Our lads don't seem capable of these basics.
Michael Lynch
114 Posted 23/01/2018 at 10:55:15
Good job Sam doesn't read this stuff. 113 posts so far, and every one of them different, but every one of them knows where Sam is going wrong.

Opinions eh? What is it they say, they're like arseholes, everybody has one.

Or is it arseholes with opinions, everybody is one?

Or maybe it's opinions about arseholes, every body etc etc

I'm going for a little lie down now.

Stephen Jones
115 Posted 23/01/2018 at 10:58:02
Aside from his dead ball delivery, Sigurdsson's strength is receiving and distributing the ball quickly and accurately, usually with one touch. He doesn't have great pace (but neither did Reid, Pirlo, Bracewell, etc) but he has vision, stamina, and covers lots of ground.

Until we have players who move into space and 'show' for a pass then Sigurdsson will continue to struggle in this Everton side, as did Barkley. Even the best midfielder in the world will look crap if none of his teammates want the ball.

Michael Lynch
116 Posted 23/01/2018 at 11:17:12
Stephen Jones – I agree, which is why the signing of Walcott is so important. He's a class above the rest of our players, and should give Sigurdsson some options.

Tosun looks like he's happy to move the ball on quickly up front too, so hopefully there's going to be a lot of work on that in training before the Leicester game.

James Marshall
118 Posted 23/01/2018 at 13:23:16
Our problems are obvious. Drop Shneiderlin for all the reasons we all know as a starting point.

Beyond that our problem is we have no pace and no players making overlapping runs at all.

Even with 2 wide players on the field we still have no runners from deep. This is why we're so slow and laboured.

Sigurdsson needs to play centrally. Simple.

Ian Horan
120 Posted 23/01/2018 at 13:42:08
Phil Lewis # 105 I believe you are looking for a scapegoat!!!!, Gylfi is the wrong choice in my opinion. Goals scored by Gilfy Southampton. RS. Swansea

Europa League qualifier not one dead ball situation all open play. Dead assist Williams has two headed goals from Gilfy deliveries, already somewhat more than Barkley last year.

Finally it wasn't £45 mill it was £40 mill with add-ons. Let's support the players and for the record Gilfy covered 90 meters to slot against the RS.

Stephen Jones
121 Posted 23/01/2018 at 13:58:48
Everton need to watch and learn from the Swansea v Liverpool game. The bottom club gave a masterclass in how the poorer teams can tame the big spenders.

How did Alfie Mawson and Harry Maguire escape the attention of our wonderful Director of Football whilst he was paying top dollar for Keane?

Drew Shortis
122 Posted 23/01/2018 at 14:50:37
Koeman & Walsh messed this up in the summer with their signings. There were just too many number tens. Sigurdsson, Rooney, Klaassen, Barkley, Dowell and a deficiency in numbers & quality out wide. I think the wings have now been sorted with Bolasie back and Walcott coming in, but we desperately need an attacking left-back.

Allardyce is right. He should not be picking teams with square pegs in round holes. Rooney and Sigurdsson reminds me a little of England's dilemma with Gerrard & Lampard. Two top players who were too similar to work in a balanced starting eleven.

Peter Lee
123 Posted 23/01/2018 at 22:11:33
Stephen, you are joking aren't you?

The only thing that would prevent total meltdown here would be three points.

A draw wouldn't and an heroic effort with a winning goal for the oppo from a yard off-side, punched in by the striker who was the ref's brother, in the 99th minute, would result in dozens on here saying that this is;

"Unacceptable!!!!"
"Not the Everton way!!"
"A disgrace!"
"Never wanted (fill in the blanks) as manager and now we see why!!!"
"Sack OCM and get in (untested/failed foreigner) ASAP!!!!"

Others can add more.

Ashley Roberts
124 Posted 24/01/2018 at 02:01:08
I am sorry, whether this is true or not, I do not believe Allardyce should be washing his dirty laundry in public What message does this send to both players? Nothing but negativity and we definitely don't need any more of that at the moment.

Don't managers ever learn? We only have to see the impact Koeman had on Barkley by slagging him off in public. Maybe a lot of you want rid of Rooney but he is still our leading scorer.

I for one think there is a place for Rooney and Sigurdsson in the same team but that team definitely does not include Schneiderlin. It would have made more sense to me if Allardyce had said Schneiderlin and Sigurdsson cannot play together because there certainly is no slower player in the team than Schneiderlin when it comes to making any forward movement.

I cannot believe the manager has come out and said this at this time, we should be trying to energize players not pissing them off.

Ed Prytherch
125 Posted 24/01/2018 at 02:40:13
Schneiderlin and Bolasie are the slowest players on the team at the moment, so why pick on Rooney and Sigurdsson? And if pace is so important, why sell Lennon? I smell bullshit.
Gavin Johnson
126 Posted 24/01/2018 at 03:19:38
I'd be inclined to start using Rooney every game as an impact sub. Bring in Klaassen from out of the cold and give this team a try:

Pickford
Kenny, Holgate/Jags, Keane, Garbutt
Gana
Klaassen, Sigurdsson
Walcott, Tosun, Lookman

Drew O'Neall
127 Posted 24/01/2018 at 08:04:38
Gana and Davies in Midfield with Rooney in behind as the only ‘holder'. Sigurdsson in front; Schneiderlin nowhere near.
Frank Thomas
128 Posted 24/01/2018 at 13:12:24
The key problem with our club are the managers.

We have moved from defend and swift attack then back to defence in depth (Moyes), to all out attack (Martinez). Then we had keep the ball at all costs no rash forward passes (Koeman) and finally keep a clean sheet until we reach 40 points (Allardyce). As a consequence we now have players from 4 different styles of play and they are confused and find it difficult to play together.

Spurs last four managers have had the same style and each had an agreed target, ie, 5th place or higher. So it is time we agreed a target and football philosophy that every manager agrees to before joining Everton.

We start this process by getting experience managers who loved Everton and still do. This would be Peter Reid, David Weir and Joe Royle. Employ them now to look at every manager and help choose a list of two or three managers who they think would fit our wishes and style. You would not expect Alan Sugar to pick a Chef for Gordon Ramsey restaurants nor expect Jamie Oliver to pick a theatre director for Bill Kenwright.

In the short term, Sam needs to stop blaming the players for his very poor tactics. Last week against West Brom in the first half we had a very good header of the ball (Tosun) and yet there were no fast wingers to pass the ball to him. Tosun played well against Spurs as did the team with two fast wingers and then Sam changes everything for change's sake.

No team plays well when you change so many players from game to game.

Gary Reeves
129 Posted 24/01/2018 at 19:41:46
Forget all the positional arguments – Sigurdsson's not very good.
Barry Jones
130 Posted 25/01/2018 at 22:00:50
He is absolutely correct in his assessment. What is the issue with him saying it FFS?
Barry Jones
131 Posted 25/01/2018 at 22:03:00
Michael #114. Love it !! You made me laugh; first time in a while on TW.

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